by Doward Wilson

Welcome to the world of Abby Knight as new owner of Bloomers, a flower shop in New Chapel, Indiana. This Hallmark Movies & Mysteries series of cozy mysteries is loosely adapted from the Flower Shop Mystery series by Kate Collins.

In Mum’s the Word, the first movie, we find that Abby (Brooke Shields), is a widow with a college-age daughter, a former lawyer, and new business owner. When her vintage car is involved in a hit and run, Abby links the incident to the recent murder of a drug dealer and suicide of a homeless man who was arrested for the murder. With the support of her retired cop father (Beau Bridges) and ex-marine, new bar owner Marco Salvare (Brennan Elliott), Abby is determined to find the truth. The abused wife of a local garden center owner is helped by Abby to leave her husband and get financial support from him. When Abby suspects that he and his business are tied to the murder, her life is threatened.

In the second movie, Snipped In The Bud, Abby delivers an order of black roses to a college professor and tangles with an old college rival who is later found murdered, with Abby’s fingerprints on the murder weapon. College rivalries between professors and their wives and lovers all come into play, and Abby is hounded by the police and reporters. With the help and comforting support of Marco, Abby works her way thru the tangled web of lies and secrets to find the murderer.

In Dearly Depotted, the third and most recent movie, we find Abby and Marco as attendants at her loopy self-centered cousins wedding. When a gate crasher is found murdered at the reception, Abby goes to work to clear his ex-wife and father and members of her close family, as possible suspects. The suspect list includes, family, close friends, her cousin’s new mother-in-law, and newcomers to the town and business community.

These are entertaining, well plotted cozy mystery movies with a cast that works well together and delivers a great night of adventure while you relax with a snack or two. The Hallmark Movies & Mysteries channel has really expanded their production lineup of several of their cozy mysteries series. We will be seeing new movies in this and other series in the fall, and I can’t wait. Dearly Depotted will be airing again August 30 at 3 p.m.–check out the Hallmark Mystery website for details and their schedule.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section.

Doward Wilson is a retired, avid cozy, paranormal and adventure reader who can’t say no to most books. He recently moved from Independence, Missouri to Gladbrook, Iowa. Located in Central Iowa, Gladbrook (900+) is small town, rural farming at its best.